Instead, the second-year winger was again sent to the ECHL's Reading Royals, where he played the bulk of 2012-13 after a 17-game stint (0-1-1) with Hershey.

“It was a little disappointing, but I have to play my best game to get called up again,” Galiev said. “I think I played well a couple games and here and am.”

In 14 games with the Royals, Galiev (5-8-13) averaged nearly a point a game after averaging more than a point a game last season. And the Bears recalled him on Tuesday.

“We talked about maybe helping our power play a little bit more,” Bears head coach Mike Haviland said. “He's a finisher. I think we're giving him a chance to play and get up here and kind of see what he's got.

“That was kind of our thinking: He's played well, reward him. We've played pretty well, too, but I think on the power play we can certainly use a guy who has his skill level and can shoot the puck.”

Right winger Galiev practiced on a line with centerman Peter LeBlanc and left winger Dane Byers.

Stan Galiev
Hershey Bears Photo

“Obviously, I'm happy to be back here with these guys and the coaching staff,” said Galiev, a 2010 Washington Capitals third-round pick. “I'm excited to play.

“I'll try to bring energy, especially my speed, and my work ethic.”

Continuing a five-game home stretch at Giant Center, Hershey is scheduled to play the St. John's IceCaps Wednesday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Saturday night and the Providence Bruins Sunday.

The Bears (6-6-2-2, 16 points) have won back-to-back games just once this season and are feeling the onus to fashion a winning streak to elevate themselves from the bottom of the East Division.

“I wouldn't call it pressure,” Bears winger Nicolas Deschamps said. “But I think it's a mindset we have to have. We've got to start winning games and get over that .500.

“I think we've just got to learn to play the right way a couple games in a row. That's our big issue right now. We play a solid game and then the next one we're kind of shaky. I think for us it's just to do the right things that make us successful -- play in their zone, play the cycle game, because we're good at it.”

The Bears opened the homestand last weekend by beating the Binghamton Senators Saturday. Instead of using it as a launching pad to start a streak, they lost the rematch Sunday.

“We talked about that as a group today,” Haviland said. “I think we assume that it's going to be easy. I think we feel good about ourselves real quick.

“We get too high instead of staying even keel. That's my job is to keep them even keel.”

NOTEBOOK

Defenseman Connor Carrick (upper body) sat out practice. “We're just being really cautious with him,” Haviland said. “We've got healthy bodies here. I really believe that we should make sure guys are 100 percent before we even put them back into practice and have contact when we have healthy bodies here.”

Centerman Jamie Johnson hasn't played in the last seven games due to a combination of injury and healthy scratches. The Bears were amid a five-game point streak when he returned to health, so Haviland said he didn't want to tinker with the lineup. Though the Bears didn't have a veteran roster issue with Tyson Strachan on recall to Washington, Johnson was a healthy scratch both games last weekend. “I like Johnny in the middle and I think our centers are playing pretty well, too,” Haviland said. “To move him on the wing, I don't think I'm doing any justice for him. We tried him on the wing. I don't think it was a great experiment.”

Lines:

Walker-Taffe-Wellman

Byers-LeBlanc-Galiev

Whitmore-Stoa-Segal

J. Mitchell-Watkins-Deschamps

Brittain-Johnson-G. Mitchell/Rechlicz

D-pairs (there was a lot of rotation, but this was the first 5-on-5 run-through):